Monday, November 8, 2010

I didn't hear back from the first winner of the last Visa $100 Gift Card from BlogHer/Kellogg's, so it's time to name a different winner!

Congrats to susan1215, who wrote, "On Christmas mornings I make cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole". Enjoy the gift card, Susan! BlogHer will be contacting you about getting the gift card out to you.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!Contest is now over.

It's been fun talking about breakfast, bowls, and mornings with you all! This is the last Mom's Breakfast Club post, and I've been glad to share this blog series with you! Wish we could all sit down together and have some real breakfast together. (Currently my daughter and I are loving Kellogg's Special K Low Fat Granola. Don't let the words "low fat" scare you away--it's good.)

For this week I'm supposed to write about any yearly traditions our family has with breakfast--maybe a special breakfast on a special day. Sounds like an easy topic--except we don't have any traditions like that!

So I got to thinking.... Every tradition has a "first time," so what could I do this year that might become an annual occurrence? We'll be visiting with lots of relatives at Christmas, and I really think it would be fun to make something special for all of them.

Enter one of my favorite recipes...Blueberry Streusel Bread.

I have two versions of the recipe on my blog--the original version, and the whole wheat version. Both are fantastic. I even have an idea for improving on the recipe. Instead of using plain oatmeal in the streusel, what if I used some Kellogg's Special K Low Fat Granola? I think it would give an extra delicious crunch to the bread...not to mention the extra nutrients added by the fortified cereal!

The bread is rich, and a couple of loaves will feed lots of relatives. Yep--I think this is just the right tradition to start this year. But just to be sure, I checked with my four-year-old daughter Chickie....

I think the rest of the family will approve too!Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link.

To enter, leave a comment sharing a special breakfast tradition you have, or one you'd like to start.

For a second entry, you can:

Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)

Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)

Sweepstakes ends 5 PM EST on November 1, 2010.

Spam comments will be deleted.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

Congratulations to commenter #59, Deb! She wrote, "My favorite meal in a bowl is spaghetti with meat sauce...pure comfort!" A $100 Visa gift card will buy a lot of spaghetti, Deb!

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

Has fall come to your area yet? It's starting to arrive here, with some mornings and evenings feeling positively chilly. And on a cold night, I love to sit down with a steaming bowl of soup, chock-full of veggies and meat and broth and pure yumminess. It warms me to the core!

But you know what? I like soup so much that I don't wait to eat it until the weather cools. I live in an area that has a lot more hot days than cold days. If I waited for Jack Frost to sneak in, we wouldn't be eating much soup! Instead, I make it year-round...even when the weather's as hot as the soup. It's one of my favorite things to eat from a bowl.

I save most of my recipes to my online Delicious bookmarking site, and I have 42 soup recipes there. Click here to check them out.

How could you not eat that, whether the temperature outside is 10 degrees or 100 degrees?!

So if you happen to meet me in person, and you happen to come over for dinner...don't be surprised if your main dish is served in a bowl!Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link.

To enter, leave a comment sharing one of your favorite meals to eat in a bowl.

For a second entry, you can:

Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)

Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)

Sweepstakes ends 5 PM EST on October 25, 2010.

Spam comments will be deleted.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

Congratulations to commenter #83, Betty C.! Betty won by Tweeting this giveaway!

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

The breakfast choices in our pantry change pretty often--different selections of cereal or granola bars mostly. Sometimes we even get into a pancake phase.

But there's one thing that our whole family will nearly always eat. And I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it.

Donuts.

I'm not even talking about some donut-mimicking healthy option; I'm talking about the real thing. Yep, those calorie-dense, fried, frosted circles of delight. Chickie likes the pink frosted variety with sprinkles. Zoodle likes anything, but sprinkles tickle his fancy too. The Engineer likes old-fashioned sour cream donuts (regular and chocolate.) And my taste changes from visit to visit--maple frosted donuts and eclairs are two of my favorites.

Of course, we don't eat donuts every morning. We explain to our kids that things like donuts are treats. They understand that treats are things we only get sometimes. I really think that an overall healthy diet can include some indulgences like donuts--in moderation!

We're lucky; we have a donut shop right outside our neighborhood. Sometimes we walk there; Chickie and I even ran there together recently. It's less than a mile and a half round trip. It may be kind of weird to be teaching my daughter about fitness by running to get donuts, but of course she doesn't seem to mind!

So usually we enjoy healthier breakfasts, like cereal. That's what we stock in our pantry so that the easiest choice for breakfast is a healthy choice. But occasionally we indulge in delectable donuts. It's a fun way to make the whole family happy!

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link.

To enter, leave a comment sharing a go-to breakfast food that pleases everyone in your household.

For a second entry, you can:

Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)

Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)

Sweepstakes ends 5 PM EST on September 18, 2010.

Spam comments will be deleted.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #110, won! She Tweeted to get her $100 gift card!

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

Our family loves the Philadelphia Chickens CD from Sandra Boynton. But there's one song that's hard to sing along with--"Busy Busy Busy," sung by Kevin Kline. He sings these lyrics at such a fantastically frenetic pace:

"We're very very busy and we've got a lot to do, and we haven't got a minute to explain it all to you...." (You can listen to a clip here.)

Well, even though a lot of our mornings are relaxing, we do have some busy mornings...or busy afternoons, or busy evenings. I'm often in a frenzy when we have to get out of the house, no matter what time of day it is! So there are a few things that help us when we're "very very busy and we've got a lot to do":

Easy grooming routines. Even if I blow dry and straighten my hair and do makeup (none of which I do every day!), I can complete that routine in about 15 minutes. Chickie has a short bob haircut that doesn't require a lot of work--very important for a girl with a tender head who doesn't want me spending lots of time messing with her hair! And Zoodle's the easiest of all of us. Gotta love low-maintenance boys.

Community baths. Okay. I admit this one won't last forever. But with a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old who still need lots of help washing up, it saves time for me to stick them in the tub together, climb in with them, and get 'em clean.

Velcro on kids' shoes. Need I say more?

Easy breakfasts. Homemade biscuits, bacon, and omelets are great, but if we have a meal like that it's usually at dinnertime! For our morning meal, convenience is key, especially when we're "very very busy." As I write this, Chickie and I are eating Kellogg's Apple Jacks with milk, and toast. It didn't take long to fix, and our mouths enjoy the flavor while our bodies enjoy the vitamins and whole grains (9 grams whole grain per serving of Apple Jacks, plus 100% whole wheat in the toast!)

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

You can enter up to 2 times. Choose up to 2 of these 3 entry methods:

Leave a comment here sharing how you deal with days that are "very very busy" or what your favorite fast breakfast is.

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet. (Sorry, Tweets only, not Facebook posts.) To link, post your Tweet then look directly underneath it. It'll show when you Tweeted ("less than a minute ago" or "5 minutes ago"). Click that; it's a link to your Tweet!

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Spam comments will be deleted.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #46, 3 Boys and an Old Lady! This winner wrote, "Weekends were made for waffles in our household."

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

I suppose weekends are supposed to be relaxing, but on Saturday morning, I'm on the run.

Literally on the run! On Saturday morning I do my longest run of the week, and I usually end the run at Starbucks. I hang out there for awhile by myself (bliss!) and wait for the family to drive and pick me up.

That means that feeding the kids breakfast on Saturday is usually up to The Engineer, my husband. Thankfully, since we already have such a simple breakfast routine, The Engineer can open the pantry and find convenient choices. He can give the kids cereal and milk or granola bars and know that they're getting a healthy breakfast.

Sundays are always busy as we try to get out the door for church. So we rarely have any special breakfasts on the weekend. We just choose from our easy options so that we've got the fuel we need to enjoy our time together as a family!

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

You can enter up to 2 times. Choose up to 2 of these 3 entry methods:

Leave a comment here sharing what you and/or your family usually have for breakfast on the weekend.

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet. (Sorry, Tweets only, not Facebook posts.) To link, post your Tweet then look directly underneath it. It'll show when you Tweeted ("less than a minute ago" or "5 minutes ago"). Click that; it's a link to your Tweet!

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Spam comments will be deleted.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #47, Eva, who said her key to a good morning is, "Make sure to get enough sleep the night before!" Wise words, Eva! I may be a mom of two, but I agree--I value my sleep!

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!Contest is now closed.

Lately, my key to a good morning is this...

That's right--a computer that's turned OFF. It's amazing how I can think, "Oh, I'm just going to check one thing on the computer..." and two hours later, I'm still sitting there still staring at the screen!

So lately I've started most mornings by doing something productive, usually something I'm not too excited about and want to get out of the way...like cleaning bathrooms or dusting or starting laundry. After that, it's time to get myself and the kids ready for the day. I like to get some quiet time to nurture my spirit. And then it's time to sit down in front of the computer.

It's amazing what a difference this little change has made for me! I'm less stressed out and feel better about myself on the days when I get moving and get something done.

Of course, in the midst of all this productivity, the kids and I still need to eat! We are not the type of family to skip breakfast. Sometimes I eat breakfast early; sometimes I grab something when I'm sitting down to relax after getting things done. Zoodle's usually hungry soon after getting up; Chickie sometimes waits a little longer. Whether it's Kellogg's Frosted Flakes or toast or granola bars...the kids and I nearly always eat breakfast!

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

You can enter up to 2 times. Choose up to 2 of these 3 entry methods:

Leave a comment here sharing the best way you've found to keep your mornings positive.

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet. (Sorry, Tweets only, not Facebook posts.) To link, post your Tweet then look directly underneath it. It'll show when you Tweeted ("less than a minute ago" or "5 minutes ago"). Click that; it's a link to your Tweet!

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Spam comments will be deleted.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #72, jillyrh! Jilly wrote, "We usually hit the alarm a few times, eat something quick like cereal and head out the door. LOL "

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

When we're visiting my husband's parents and my kids are being particularly...uh, challenging...my mother-in-law is fond of saying conspiratorially, "I've always said that school comes just in time."

And even though I'm a self-proclaimed "happy mommy" who loves staying home with my kids, I'll admit...I'm looking forward to them being in school! Having a few hours during the day to get things done without wiping noses and breaking up arguments? Sounds good to me!

Chickie starts kindergarten in a year, and I suppose if she was scared of the prospect, I'd be nervous too. But she is so excited. She'd love be in school now, but she doesn't turn five until January. I think her first day of school next year will be a highly-anticipated, super-exciting experience. And I think she'll do well in school. When she gets in trouble, it'll probably be mostly for talking too much!

Zoodle is too young to be thinking much about school, but if his love for his Bob the Builder backpack is any indication, he'll be excited to start too, three years from now!

For this week's "Mom's Breakfast Club" post I'm supposed to be writing about transitioning into the school year. For us, though, the "school year" is pretty much the same as the rest of the year. We get up, eat an easy breakfast, and the kids relax in front of PBS Kids TV shows while I do a bit of house cleaning...or check email, blogs, Twitter, etc.

But when they do start school, I'm going to want to be sure the kids have a good breakfast first. I am someone who gets hungry quickly, and I remember how long school mornings can feel before lunchtime rolls around! Recently Kellogg's sent us a box of Frosted Mini Wheats Big Bites, and the kids like it. I imagine that's the type of cereal we may encourage them to eat before school starts...something with some substance too it, that will "stick to their ribs" while they wait for lunch. Add some whole grain toast and juice, and hopefully they'll stay alert even without a morning snack!

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

You can enter up to 2 times. Choose up to 2 of these 3 entry methods:

Leave a comment here sharing something about your family's morning routine during the school year, or recall what your morning routine was like when you were a kid in school.

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet. (Sorry, Tweets only, not Facebook posts.) To link, post your Tweet then look directly underneath it. It'll show when you Tweeted ("less than a minute ago" or "5 minutes ago"). Click that; it's a link to your Tweet!

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #75, E (eunice b)! It sounds like eunice had a fantastic summer, "Sitting around the fire, drinking coffee and talking with my dear husband! These are a few of my favorite things!"

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com.

When Grandma played with them,The kids had so much fun!And Grandpa's blueberry pancakes?Zoodle ate a ton!

The memories we makeOn trips to see the famMake me very thankfulOf just how blessed I am!

I've been thinking about breakfast lately because of this blog series. While we had a few special breakfasts during our trip (like donuts and those fantastic blueberry pancakes), most mornings we stuck to easy, healthy options like cereal.

Thankfully both sets of grandparents had a nice variety of cereals for us to choose from. My in-laws had a box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes that had some pictures of old-style Kellogg's Corn Flakes trucks, and those pictures really caught Zoodle's attention! He kept asking for "the truck cereal." I wasn't sure if Corn Flakes would be an interesting enough flavor for his discriminating toddler palate, but he liked them!

My husband happened to turn on a documentary on cereal while we were in California, and I learned that Kellogg's Corn Flakes was the first cold cereal ever produced. It's pretty cool to see that after all these years, it's still popular...and it's even tasty enough for a two-year-old!

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

You can enter up to 2 times. Choose up to 2 of these 3 entry methods:

Leave a comment here sharing one of the most memorable moments you and/or your family had this summer.

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your public Tweet. (Sorry, Tweets only, not Facebook posts.) To link, post your Tweet then look directly underneath it. It'll show when you Tweeted ("less than a minute ago" or "5 minutes ago"). Click that; it's a link to your Tweet!

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck!

And last week's winner is...

...Commenter #71, coriwestphal! Regarding her quick breakfast choice, Cori wrote, "Toast is a good one. Fast, easy, and you can take it on the run!" Congrats!

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com/.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

Recently we had one of "those mornings." My 2-year-old Zoodle woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I wish at least he'd save his whining until Mommy's fully awake!

Turns out maybe poor Zoodle was just hungry. It makes me glad our family likes quick breakfasts. (I rarely make a breakfast that's not quick!) When I sat Zoodle down to eat a granola bar and some cereal, he perked up quickly. He scarfed down the food and even drank the milk from his bowl.

With a full tummy, Zoodle's mood was vastly improved!

This morning made me realize that not only is cereal a time-saver.... it's a sanity-saver too!

We are vacationing at my in-laws' house right now, and they like cereals with berries in them. The milk plumps up the dried berries--yum! I've discovered that my kids think this type of cereal is pretty darn berrylicious.

When we get home, I may pick up some Kellogg's Special K Red Berries cereal. I'm guessing the kids will love the flavor, and I like that it contains whole grain wheat and extra wheat bran! Add some milk to it, and we've got a breakfast that takes under a minute to make. It doesn't get much faster than that.

Like many moms, I've always tended to steer away from sugary breakfast cereals. But Kelloggs has put together a document called "Cereal: The Complete Story." On page 10, it points out that even some of the sweeter cereals have much less sugar in them than some other common breakfast foods, like orange juice and yogurt. Kellogg's has taken trans fats out of their cereals, and has added fiber. So if a little added sugar makes my kids more likely to eat cereal with lots of good stuff in it (like fiber, whole grains, and even milk), I think that's a pretty healthy tradeoff!

Whether we're in a hurry because we have a morning appointment, or because a hungry kid needs a quick mood-improver, cereal is our family's favorite way to get a quick, healthy breakfast.

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

You can enter up to 2 times. Choose up to 2 of these 3 entry methods:

Leave a comment here sharing your favorite quick breakfast option.

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your public Tweet. (Sorry, Tweets only, not Facebook posts.) To link, post your Tweet then look directly underneath it. It'll show when you Tweeted ("less than a minute ago" or "5 minutes ago"). Click that; it's a link to your Tweet!

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck!

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #99, Shel! Shel wrote, "I've always been a Honey Smacks gal...the kids love Apple Jacks and hubby likes his Kellogg's Raisin Bran." Shel actually won because she Tweeted. So get those Tweets out this week...and good luck!

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com/.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

A couple of months ago, I got a box of Kellogg's Crispix at the store. It didn't last long! Chickie, my four-year-old, has developed a particular fondness for the crunchy yumminess of Crispix. After not eating it for a couple of years, I've rediscovered it. We've been going through box after box!

Crispix is currently my favorite Kellogg's breakfast cereal. It's got rice on one side, corn on the other, and it's in a deliciously crispy shape. (And it's even fat-free...until I put my creamy whole milk on it, that is!) It seems there are comparatively few foods that all four of us in the family enjoy, and Crispix is one of them.

Kellogg's makes another fat-free cereal with rice, one that's been around a very long time.

But I'll admit, my favorite way to eat Rice Krispies is a way that makes it a lot more delectable. Rice Krispies treats, anyone? (I was going to say that my favorite way to enjoy Rice Krispies is as a non-breakfast treat...but I'll admit it: If there are Rice Krispies treats in the house in the morning, there's a good chance they'll be part of my breakfast!)

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your public Tweet. (Sorry, Tweets only, not Facebook posts.)

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck!

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #165, kamewh! kamewh has great plans for the end of the summer: "Going to the zoo!" Have fun at the zoo, kamewh, and enjoy your $100 Visa gift card!

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.betterbythebowl.com/.

Friday, August 20, 2010

I received free samples of got2b Smooth Operator Smoothing Lustre Lotion from bzzagent. I'm supposed to give an unbiased review, so...here we go!

I have wavy hair, and I often straighten it with a straightening iron. Since I live in a humid climate, I can easily get frizzies.

I didn't care for this smoothing balm. The first ingredient was water, and the product wasn't concentrated enough to be very effective on my hair. It did smell great, but I wouldn't buy a full-sized bottle. I might, however, try another product in the line: got2b Smooth Operator Smoothing Satin Drops.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!Giveaway closed.

I have great memories of going on trips to visit grandparents each summer when I was a kid.

At Grandma and Grandpa's house in Socorro, New Mexico, my siblings and I would run around their small farm and explore. For at least a couple of summers, we worked on a treehouse we were building. One year we had a blast sliding off the metal roof of a shed onto a mattress below. (I wonder if my parents ever knew about that?!)

At Mamma and Papa's house we'd spend hours playing "Steal the Bacon." I won't bore you with all the rules of the game, but suffice it to say, it involved lots of running, laughter...and intrigue. I couldn't wait to play every year.

I'm so glad my kids get the experience of visiting grandparents too! The Engineer and I often wish we lived closer to our parents, but I do enjoy the excitement that comes along with less-frequent visits.

So before the summer is over, we're spending a couple of weeks having fun with the grandparents.

We arrived in Arizona to see my parents a couple of days ago, and we have a lot of fun things planned! My mom is so good at making our time together special. She's setting aside one day as "Chickie Day," and one day as "Zoodle Day." She's letting them choose a special meal. (Chickie's requested plain pasta, and Zoodle wants burritos...no filet mignon for these two!) They also have chosen special activities. Grammy will help Chickie make a bead necklace, and I think we're going to take Zoodle to McDonald's to play. Besides their special days, there will be lots of other special activities like donuts with Sampa. (The donuts will have plenty of sprinkles, of course!) The kids are going to have a ball (and I'm going to relax while I have the chance!)

Next week we'll be way up north in California to see The Engineer's parents. There's a fun park in their neighborhood. It includes an old-style merry-go-round--you know, the type they don't put in playgrounds anymore because it's not totally safe. But we all survived playing on those merry-go-rounds, right? Chickie has loved playing on this one in past years, and I think Zoodle will love it too this year! Hopefully they'll see some deer in the woods that back up to Grandma and Grandpa's property. They'll get to watch cartoons on cable channels that we don't have at home. The kids will love having a couple of extra grown-ups to read to them too!

Zoodle helping Grandpa barbecue last year

Because our kids aren't in school yet, summer isn't really that different than the rest of the year. But this year we've still managed to make it special, with lots of playdates, and now with a fun trip to see both sets of grandparents. And when the kids get a little older...I think marathon games of Steal the Bacon will definitely be in order!

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

You can enter up to 2 times. Choose up to 2 of these 3 entry methods:

Leave a comment here sharing how you'd like to enjoy the rest of the summer. Even if your kids are in school, it's still officially summer!

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet.

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! (And to improve your chances, enter at the other blogs involved in this series--just click here!)

Last week's winner:

The winner of last week's gift card was determined by my trusty friend random.org....

Congratulations to commenter #128, Nicole! Regarding her family's breakfast routine, Nicole wrote, "Most days, we eat something quick and easy like toast or cereal because we are usually headed out the door for work or some other activity. On the days when we don't have anything going on, I like to make waffles or egg and cheese English muffin sandwiches."

*****Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.blogger.com/www.betterbythebowl.com.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Psst...Be sure to keep reading 'til the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa Debit gift card!

We've all heard the old adage, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!" We're warned in dire terms not to skip it. Well, I don't need any convincing! I'm usually hungry soon after waking up. And if I get too hungry, I get grumpy. So the kids and I hardly ever skip breakfast.

Occasionally I make pancakes or waffles for breakfast, but most of the time I just like breakfast to be easy. If you're a regular reader, you know I love cooking...but not at 7 a.m.! So if we have a big breakfast (eggs, bacon, biscuits...mmmm) it's more likely to be "breakfast for dinner." In the morning, we try to strike a balance between convenience and health.

For Chickie and me, that usually involves cold cereal with milk. I grew up eating a lot of cold cereal, and I love the huge variety that's out there. We usually get into a routine (or a rut?) with one or two cereals, and occasionally we switch which cereals we're eating. We don't usually eat very sugary cereals, but we do like cereals with a bit of sweetness. It's gotta taste good! And whole grains are a big plus when I'm choosing cereals.

Here's a one-minute video of Chickie talking about the cereal she had for breakfast.

Thankfully cereal can be a good way to get a healthy breakfast. You can read more on the health benefits of cereal at www.loveyourcereal.com.

And here's a confession--we use whole milk. Not 2%, certainly not skim...whole milk. When Chickie turned one, we switched from 2% to whole, and I discovered I love that creamy goodness! Even though both kids are old enough to drink 2% now (and they probably wouldn't care), Mama likes the stuff with 4% fat!

Zoodle sometimes eats cereal, but he's much more of a granola bar kid. He usually has a couple of them for breakfast. He sometimes seems to be the most hungry of all of us...probably because he usually turns his nose up at whatever I make for dinner, so by the next morning he's famished!

By the time the kids and I are getting breakfast, The Engineer is usually leaving for work, or he's at the gym. So breakfast is usually a very casual affair with the kids and me. I catch up on email, blogs, and Twitter, and the kids watch some sort of educational TV show. Our family mealtime is at dinner.

Now it's your chance to win a $100 Visa Debit gift card! For all the fine print and official rules of the contest, visit this link. Here's how to enter:

Tweet about this contest, and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet.

Post about this contest on your blog, and leave a link to the blog post.

Remember, you can only enter twice, and you need a separate comment for each entry. The contest will close next Monday. Good luck! And there are lots of other bloggers with the same $100 Visa Debit gift card contest. Check them all out at the BlogHer website, and increase your chances by entering their giveaways too!

*****

Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.

So, what's my honest opinion...besides the obvious fact that the name is WAY too long? I actually really like this conditioner. It makes my hair soft and doesn't seem to weigh it down. I've been using it almost every time I wash my hair (about four times a week.) It's hard to say if it's really "repaired" my hair or not. Until a week or two ago my hair was getting pretty split-end-ish because I'd waited nine months between trims! There's no conditioner on earth that's going to totally fix that. But as a daily conditioner/detangler, I really like this one a lot!

My one hesitation in buying it again will be that the bottle only contains eight ounces. Lots of conditioners are more like 12 ounces (even some Dove brand conditioners.) At Drugstore.com, this product is $4.99; most of their Dove 12 ounce conditioners are $4.75. This is billed as more of a specialty product, and I am very happy with it. But am I happy enough to get a third less in a bottle, for a slightly higher price? I'm more likely to try another Dove conditioner to see if I like it first. If I don't, I might try this again; it's expensive for a drug store brand but cheap compared to salon brands.

Disclosure:BzzAgent is a cool website that provides free or discounted products and asks its BzzAgents like me to honestly share our opinions on the products. I don't get compensated beyond the product itself.

From a press release sent out on March 15, 2010, here's some history and information on Yummy Earth:"Founded by two dads who couldn’t find great tasting treats for their kids that weren’t filled with corn syrup and artificial stuff, YummyEarth organic candy is 100% all natural, made with real fruit extracts and planet friendly ingredients. 'Kids will love the taste and parents will feel responsible sharing our candy which is gluten-free, fat-free, dairy-free, soy-free, GMO-free, peanut-free, tree-nut free and has no artificial dyes, no MSG and no corn syrup,' said co-founder Rob Wunder."

I'll be honest with you--my kids eat one Yummy Earth lollipop almost every day. They are only about 25 calories each, and while even organic candy is still sugary, I feel good knowing that all the flavors and colors are natural. It's a nice little treat...and The Engineer and I occasionally indulge too!

The flavors are tart and amazing! I think Pomegranate Pucker may be my favorite. But I like them all, from Sour Apple Tart to Tooberry Blueberry!

Yummy Earth also makes a few other products, such as gummy bears (which I plan to try soon) and hard candy drops. You can check out their products and order them at the Yummy Earth website or Amazon, or go to the store and buy them. Click here for a list of stores that carry them.

For Easter, look in your local stores for specially-packaged Yummy Earth lollipops and gummy bears.

And now that your mouth is watering (well, at least mine is!), here are the...

GIVEAWAY DETAILS!

Yummy Earth has graciously agreed to send one family pack of lollipops (non-Easter packaging) to one lucky entrant! Entering is very easy, and you can enter multiple times. Be sure to post a separate comment for each entry.

To enter:1. Post a comment, any comment, here, for your first entry. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win!2. To earn extra entries, spread the word about this giveaway. You can earn up to three extra entries--one extra entry for posting on each of these: Twitter, Facebook, and your blog. Post an extra comment for each extra entry.

Feel free to copy and paste this text for your Facebook entry:

And please use this one for Twitter:

I'll close the contest and use random.org to choose a winner on Tuesday March 22. I'll contact the winner by email to get your address, which I'll pass along to Yummy Earth. If I don't hear from the winner by the end of the day Friday March 25, I'll choose another winner.

Good luck! And seriously, go buy some of this candy. It's incredible.

Visiting for the first time? I'd love to see you at my main blog, C. Beth Blog. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter!

Disclaimer: Yummy Earth is providing the prize to the winner, but has not compensated me in any way. I bought my own awesome lollipops in October and plan to do so again when the huge bag of them has run out!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Please note: This giveaway was originally posted on C. Beth Blog. I found out that, due to BlogHer Ads regulations, I needed to move it to my Giveaway blog. Please be assured, if you already entered at C. Beth Blog, I have printed your entry and it still counts! Please don't enter again. Thanks!

I'm lucky I don't have carpal tunnel syndrome, with all the time I spend on the computer. But even I still like the feel of a smooth pen in my fingers, and the softness of beautiful paper. When I write poetry, I like to write it longhand so I can scratch out words, phrases, or lines without deleting them for all time.

Thankfully, even though so many of us journal on computer in the form of blogs, traditional paper journals are still available, and Brush Dance carries some beautiful choices. They also have calendars, greeting cards, magnets, posters, stationery, and more. Brush Dance is an advertiser on this blog (see right sidebar), and they offer a 20% discount to C. Beth Blog readers! Just use the code "CBETH".

This is one of my favorite items. It's a 120-page journal. It says, "The earth laughs in flowers." Aren't the artwork and sentiment lovely?

Brush Dance is giving a $25 gift card to one lucky reader of C. Beth Blog! Here are the details:

1. To enter, leave one (only one!) comment below, telling one item you like from the Brush Dance website.2. Send friends to the contest in whatever way you'd like (Twitter, Facebook, blog, phone calls, billboards....) You'll get an extra entry for every person who mentions you in their entry!(Please do not post extra comments when you spread the word. Just encourage people to mention you when they enter.)3. Winner will be chosen randomly on Monday, January 18. I will close comments before choosing the winner. I will announce the winner here.4. Be sure I have a way to contact you, or that you check here next week! The winner will need to provide me with an email address, which I will pass along to Brush Dance so they can get the gift card to you. If I do not hear from the winner with a valid email address by January 23, I will choose a new winner on January 24.4. Contest is open to customers in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. (Shipping is $8 to the U.S., $19.95 to Canada or Mexico.)

Good luck!*Note: Brush Dance advertises on C. Beth Blog but did not provide any extra compensation to me for running this contest.